12.8.2009: Hunting for turtles with the pedalo boat on a day in the hotel.
We spend the last few days mainly in the hotel. On one of the evenings, the children win at the Bingo - play: an hour on a pedalo boat at the beach. Of course, we make use of this and so we are sitting in the pedalo boat and enjoy the view of the sea. From time to time, the children jump into the water, and we are looking for Caretta - turtles.
A plane shortly before landing on the islandīs airport. The runway starts less than 1 km from the beach.
Our hotel, as seen from the sea.
Laganas and the mountains in behind.
Panoramic view of the large cove of Laganas, as seen fromthe sea. Far left the inland of Marathonisi, then the Keri pensinsula, Laganas and the mountains, Malakia and the Vasilikos peninsula. Click here or into the picture for a larger verison.
We are sailing in parallel to the beach for some time, as we suddenly see several ships close together, around a small circular area of sea. In Laganas, many trips are offered in glass bottom boats to see the underwater life, especially the Careta turtles. So there is only one conclusion: Those ships have spotted a turtle! So off we go at maximal speed, and when we arrive there, we face a sea turtle, about 75 centimetres long, diving and - suddenly - emereging. The event of breathing, however, takes the turtles only a few seconds, so I was not fast enough to get a good picture, epsecially due to the fact that it emerged on the other side of our boat. Picures from underwater are not as clear, as you see.
Back at the hotel, I comfort myself with the fact, that the sea daffodills (Pancratium maritimum) are flowrishing especially beautifully today. So I take them in front of my lenses.
Sea fennel (Echinophora spinosa) and a sea daffodill
In the afternoon, a few clouds are drawing over the sky, so afterwards, the Vasilikos peninsula is in shadow - a nice light contrast to produce good pictures.
The hotel beach and the island of Marathonisi in the background.
14.4.2009: Our Lauda Air plane for the flight home.